Finding a Family
by RedWolf Lover
Summary: Were they male or female? They don't know. Were they human or not? They don't know. All they know is this: the very scary man in front of them had a hidden kindness in his eyes and was offering a family, although he wasn't saying it out loud. And they were lonely.
1. Prologue

"Excusez-moi, je ne pouvais pas m'empêcher de remarquer que vous êtes en surcompensation pour vos propres échecs en insultant vos meilleurs. Veuillez prendre une longue promenade au large d'une jetée courte et faire des amis avec l'intérieur du tube digestif d'un Sea-King."

The patrons of the dinghy bar all looked to the strange speaker. They were dressed in a pure white and divine silver, from head to toe. Dirt seemed to be repelled by the purity of the leather and metal, and there was not a speck of tarnish to be seen. Their face was mostly hidden by shadows. Only silver hair was seen, a waterfall down their back.

"What did you say, oldie?" asked a particularly disgusting pirate. His lack of education in the ways of fighting was only mirrored by his lack of good looks.

"I said," the white figure looked up, dispersing the shadows. The barmates started.

The only bit of color on this person was haunting orange eyes. They were the color of a sunset, the kind seen before a terrible hurricane, or a blaze that single handedly destroyed an island. They seemed to leech all other colors out of their skin, as well as their surroundings. The silver cross on their neck jangled on it's chain. They also did _not_ look old at all.

"You talk too much, for a weakling." They continued.

*\\_/*\\_/*

 **It's been a while. If you have nothing nice to say,** _ **please**_ **keep it to yourself. I haven't written anything that I've really wanted to finish in a while. I'm insecure already.** _ **Please,**_ **no rudeness.**

Translation:

French: "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that you are overcompensating for your own failures by insulting your betters. Kindly take a long walk off a short pier and make friends with the inside of a Sea-King's digestive tract."


	2. The Foundling

The beach was gorgeous. Mostly untouched white sand, a few pretty, whole shells lying in such a way that advertised the fact, and a small child unconscious half in the surf.

Note that I had said 'mostly'.

*\\_/*\\_/*

Kuraigana Island was experiencing one of the very few days where it didn't match its name entirely. Usually, clouds dominated the sky and rain fell so often that any vegetation that grew rotted almost as soon as it popped up. The entire island seemed to be holding it's breath.

*\\_/*\\_/*

It was on this _fine_ day that the Shichibukai Dracule Mihawk became curious. He had lived on Kuraigana for quite some time, and even though he left quite often to deal with the Marines holding his leash, he knew that the island only became like this if something important happened that would affect the island itself. Using this knowledge, he made his way through the forest, home of the Hyūmandoriru.

The Hyūmandoriru didn't dare to attack him. Those creature had learned many times that the human was the strongest being on the island. He moved without hinderance.

*\\_/*\\_/*

The tiny child opened their eyes, then just as quickly slammed them shut, forcing aching arms to cover the sensitive orbs. With a squeak, they realized that their feet were wet and scrambled up the beach, still keeping their eyes tightly shut. Absolutely terrified, they curled into a ball in the shade of a large rock.

It was there, under that rock, that Dracule Mihawk's life changed forever.

*\\_/*\\_/*

Dracule Mihawk stared at the unexpected castaway.

The child had nothing but rags covering the essential, private parts of the body, and he couldn't tell their gender while curled up like that.

 _Is this what caused the change?_ He wondered.

The swordsman had no idea what to do. He _likes_ children, inasmuch as someone with his personality could, but he had no idea what to do with them. His knowledge of the subject is limited to "Small, fragile human. Avoid with sword."

 _Why me?_

*\\_/*\\_/*

The child's eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight that peered through the cracks in their position.

Slowly, they uncurled, saw what appeared to be leather boots, registered _those weren't there before, I would have touched them,_ and returned to their fetal position with a quiet squeal.

Mihawk grimaced at the sound and crouched slowly to make sure Yoru didn't touch the sand. He gently, very carefully, poked the toddler's head. _At least, I think it's probably a toddler. It's so small…_

"Oi, kid. How did you get here?" He asked quietly. The child whimpered quietly and stole a glance at the rather intimidating person.

The hawk-eyed man briefly made eye contact with the tiny human, at which said eyes immediately scared the child into curling up tighter.

Seemingly by instinct the toddler had covered the back of its neck to protect it. Mihawk's eyes widened, then promptly narrowed. Now it was obvious. The child was covering all its vulnerable areas, that which would be easy access to kill them slowly and painfully, but leaving areas for a quick death untouched.

He did _not like_ the connotations.

"Hey, kid!" His voice was gruff from disuse, but still as gentle as he could make it. "Where are you from?"

The child peeked up and this time managed to look him in the eyes for more than a second. "Vous êtes un homme effrayant, mais vous avez de jolis yeux."

After muttering that line of vaguely familiar gibberish, the toddler hid their face once again, but moved from their tight position slightly in order to peer carefully at the swordsman from between tiny fingers.

Mihawk leaned back on his heels and dislodged his hat to scrub at spikey hair. _I have absolutely no idea what it just said. Great._

With the hat gone, suddenly the child could see the entirety of Mihawk's face. It was filled with angles, sharp lines, and weirdly shaved hair. The shade of his hat had hidden his bird-like eyes. But mostly, the hat had hidden the man's emotions.

The child could see many things now in the way the man's face is forcefully blank, how even then his eyebrows furrowed. He is a bit confused, bewildered, and still pride shone through his eyes. He is a proud man, honest and a keeper of his word, they could tell. He is fierce, willing to fight to protect that which was important to him. And also… underneath it all…

Loneliness.

The toddler knew loneliness. It was _all_ it knew until then. It couldn't remember anything else but the feeling that tore and consumed, and could only be chased away if the one who felt it, let it.

Even though the kid couldn't understand the bird-man's words, they understood his feelings well.

*\\_/*\\_/*

 **This will probably slow down a lot. Also, the kid can't control their changing just yet. Lots of pretty colors, coming up. As soon as I get my list anyway...**

Translation:

French: "You a scary man, but you have pretty eyes."


	3. Come Little Children

_How did it come to this?_ The Shichibukai wondered as he shifted through neutral children's clothing.

The thought question was completely rhetorical as he knew how it happened. He shifted the toddler higher in his arms as he drew out a small shirt from the rack.

 _*Flashback*_

 _The kid had suddenly straightened almost entirely and reached for Mihawk's face._

"Ce sentiment ... je l'ai aussi. Tu es triste..."

 _Mihawk held himself very still as small hands touched his cheekbones. It was now that he could see the child's features clearly, even as they changed in front of his very eyes._

 _Hair that had been a dreary blue-grey shifted to a lighter shade of violet. Cheekbones sharpened, although the child was still rather androgynous. Their eyes turned a shade of yellow that he recognized from his own mirror. In fact…_

 _The child now looked a lot like himself, only younger and more feminine, and longer hair._

"Si je peux rester, vous ne soyez plus tristes? J'essaie d'aider ... Je suis bon!"

 _The pleading eyes, so much like Mihawk's own, broke his barriers before he knew they were falling._

 _He didn't know what the kid was saying, but he knew that he couldn't leave it there. He stood, and before the toddler registered that fact that the man was_ leaving _, probably_ without _them, lifted the child from the ground and tentatively settled it on his hip before turning to the dark castle in the distance._

 _He would have to get clothes for it, and find out the gender._

 _*Flashback End*_

*\\_/*\\_/*

The blasted child didn't _have_ a gender! It was a girl, at first, then changed into a boy just as quickly as before when it manipulated him into taking it in!

(He ignored the fact that the brat had hardly done anything. It was entirely Mihawk's decision to take it. He would later blame the kid's eyes.)

Furthermore! As soon as he had closed the door behind him after entering the castle he lived in, the sky had turned practically black and a downpour started! It was ridiculous!

While he was trying to find something for the kid to wear (he didn't find much) the kid apparently got hungry and began sniffling quietly.

 _(Fuck it! I'm just going to call them a boy,_ he decided.)

It didn't help that they couldn't understand each other. That just made everything worse.

It was becoming very clear (to Mihawk) that he had no idea what he was doing.

 _Why did it have to be me?_

*\\_/*\\_/*

 **Yes, I meant to give up on the gender avoidance. I really see them as a boy, however the option must be available for what I have planned. They are comfortable as both genders, but will usually be male to have something in common with Mihawk. Thus, male pronouns often.**

Translation:

French:

"This feeling... I have it too. You sad."

"If I can stay, you no be sad anymore? I try to help... I be good!"


	4. Shopping Adventures

"Oh, how cute!"

Mihawk stiffened. He'd been hoping this didn't happen. He turned to see a saleswoman.

She appeared to have stars in her eyes. She was also staring at the little boy in his arms. The swordsman knew exactly what was going to happen next.

"Is she yours? She's absolutely adorable!" she squealed. "She looks just like you!"

Mihawk shifted, "He's mine, yes. I just found him recently." _Maybe this woman will be helpful?_ He took another look. _Doubtful._

"Oh, he's a boy? My mistake! Do you need help? You look so confused! You must be a recent parent, I've seen people just like you…" the woman went on and on, she didn't stop! But, she was also grabbing quite a few clothes off the racks that looked like they would fit the child.

Mihawk decided to just go with it. If it meant he didn't have to talk much, and he got information…

The little boy looked up at him. "Oiseau-yeux?"

"Aww! He even has his own little made up word for you! He's just so cute!" the saleswoman squealed again, bouncing in place. The little boy covered his ears, "Trop fort!"

Yellow eyes narrowed, and glared down the woman. _That_ was understandable.

"Lower your voice. He has sensitive ears."

The woman looked ashamed for a few seconds, before squealing again, this time quietly. "I'm so sorry. How old is he anyway? And I never got your names, either."

"I do not see how that is relevant."

She puffed up indignantly. "Of course it will help! I need to know whether he will be going to different islands on a ship, or staying here on this Spring island! And at certain ages, children grow very fast! Clothes should fit the person no matter where they go! And if you're famous, since you're obviously a pirate, he should reflect that! I could probably even sew your Jolly Roger on his clothing! I'm not just a saleswoman, you know!"

 _No, I didn't know._ He glared at her for a few more moments. She didn't seem scared at all, even after having deduced that he was a pirate, and was looking right into his eyes. He leaned back, mildly impressed.

"I am Dracule Mihawk. And this is Dracule…" he thought. Something both males and females could use… he didn't want to limit his little brat to only one because it was obvious he could be both… actually that could be rather useful sometimes… "Kai. He's four." That would have to do.

"Kai? That's actually a cute name. Now, I will need your opinions as well… You are his parent-"

"Brother. And only guardian."

"Oh? All right then! Let's get the otouto of the Shichibukai some clothes!"

*\\_/*\\_/*

 _The woman was right. This is rather… cute…_

 _This brat already has me wrapped around his fingers, doesn't he?_

"Big-frère oiseau-yeux?"

The newly named Kai was kneeling on the seat of the Coffin like ship Hitsugibune and looking rather like a curious puppy. Instead of Mihawk's oversized shirt and boxers, (the only things Mihawk had that would stay on him) he was wearing what looked like a white tomesode top and thin white pants covered in pockets, along with little boots that looked surprisingly like Mihawk's own. It was an outfit that would have looked strange on anybody else. Mihawk had to hide a smile that ended up more like a smirk.

He had to do something about this language barrier. Not being able to understand the little gaki was getting on his nerves. And it would be harder to train Kai if he couldn't get his point across.

Mihawk knelt in front of the child and pointed at himself. "Mihawk," he said.

Then he flipped his finger around to point at Kai. "Kai."

The long hair turned a dark shade of green and he let out a confused "Huh?"

Mihawk pointed at himself again. "Mihawk. I am Mihawk." Pointing at Kai, "Kai. You are Kai."

"Oh! M-Miha-hawk? Mihawk?"

The swordsman couldn't help but smile proudly as the toddler pointed at himself and muttered "Kai? Je suis Kai? Je m'appelle Kai? Big-frère yeux d'oiseaux est Mihawk."

"Very good." He swept the boy into his arms and sat in Hitsugibune's throne, placing the child in his arms as he readied to set sail back to Kuraigana. He had already retrieved all the supplies he had come to this island for. It was time to go home.

*\\_/*\\_/*

 _What… is this? Why…? I didn't buy this!_

Mihawk was staring at a little... frilly… DRESS! _That crazy woman! I knew something was up with the giggling!_ He quickly looked into the bag he had pulled the… thing out of.

There were more in there. The whole bag was filled with flowers, frills and children's feminine… underthings.

"Mihawk? J'ai faim ... ah! Joli!"

The little boy tripped over a rug as he tried to run over to Mihawk, who immediately caught him with the disgustingly frilly dress as a cushion. Said dress was then pulled out of his hands as Kai steadied himself and held it to his body. He turned a bright smile on the man.

"Est-ce que Mihawk m'a obtenu ça? Je ne pensais pas que tu l'obtiendrais! Comment tu sais que j'aime ça?"

With Kai looking so happy, Mihawk couldn't do anything else but give in. Half formed plans to trash the bag flew out the mental window and he grimaced. _He really does have me wrapped around his fingers. And I doubt he even knows it._ He turned back to the bag and reluctantly began sorting through it until tiny hands began tugging him to the kitchen. _He's not even trying. What happened to the scared little thing from a couple of days ago?_

*\\_/*\\_/*

 **They're cute, ne?**

Translations:

Japanese:

Kai - Time/Release

Tomesode - Children's kimono, I think.

French:

"Oiseau-yeux?" - "Bird eyes?

"Trop fort!" - "Too loud!"

"Big-frère oiseau-yeux?" - "Big brother bird-eyes?"

"Kai? Je suis Kai? Je m'appelle Kai? Big-frère yeux d'oiseaux est Mihawk." - "Kai? I am Kai? My name is Kai? Big brother bird-eyes is Mihawk."

"Mihawk? J'ai faim ... ah! Joli!" - "Mihawk? I'm hungry… ah! Pretty!"

"Est-ce que Mihawk m'a obtenu ça? Je ne pensais pas que tu l'obtiendrais! Comment tu sais que j'aime ça?" - "Did Mihawk get this for me? I didn't think you'd get it! How you know I like this?"


	5. Omake

**Kai Meets Shanks**

 _ ***~Sometime in the Future~***_

"Onii-chan…"

Mihawk looked up. Standing in front of him was a very tired, very messy Kai.

The little boy was holding a brush out to his brother. Yellow hair flew everywhere in a riot of curls, spikes, and rather straight sections, contradicting with the rest of it. It really was no wonder he wanted Mihawk to take care of it.

It was fast going, teaching Kai how to understand, write and speak Japanese. He still had no idea how the brat had picked up the word onii-chan, and knew to use it on him. It never failed to make Mihawk melt, though he _refused_ to show it.

After taking the brush he started, "Kai…"

"Hai? Onii-chan?"

"I will be introducing you to an acquaintance of mine in a few days."

Kai looked confused. "Shi-ri-ah…?"

"Shiriai," the swordsman smirked. "Like a friend, but not close enough to be called that. Someone that I trust." Mihawk focused again on the bright green hair, wielding the brush rather like a sword. He was beginning to think he'd need one for all the tangles.

"Why? You no... t-take?" "Take, yes." "T-take me before."

It was then that Mihawk frowned. "I have been called for the annual Shichibukai meeting. It's too dangerous for you to go with me right now. You aren't able to defend yourself."

Purple eyes turned to meet ringed yellow. The colors were beginning to clash badly…

"B-but… if I go meet your acquaintance... and stay… w-will Onii-chan come back? J'aime le grand frère! J-je ne veux pas rester avec non-ami!"

"Kai!" The toddler quieted. "You will stay. If there's one thing that I know for certain about that drunken moron, it's that he will keep you safe. You will behave for him, do you understand?"

The child (his hair was grey now, why was it that grey hair always made Mihawk feel guilty?) nodded mulishly.

With the hair now tamed with a thick braid, Mihawk set the brush on the side-table and embraced his little adopted sibling. "I will come back for you. Unless it is impossible for me to do so, meaning that I'm dead, I will always come back for you." He then smiled as the hair flashed from gray to gold.

*\\_/*\\_/*

"Hawk-eyes! How nice of you to show up! We weren't expecting you!"

Mihawk took a disgusted glance around. There were drunk/hungover pirates in odd places (like the mast and rigging) and Shanks himself was speaking from under an empty barrel. "I can see that."

"Well now you're here we can continue the party! Benn, bring that over here!"

The beer barrel indicated was summarily kicked out of the first mate's hands. "No party."

Everyone who was capable of accessing their brain-cells got ready for a fight.

The look on Mihawk's face was not pleasant. He usually had a glare on his face, that was normal, but right now he really did look angry.

"What the hell! What's your problem? Why did- are you carrying something?"

The Red-haired pirate captain paused in his indignity in order to stare.

In Mihawk's arms was a small child. It appeared to be a girl, with the long hair, and was completely dressed in white. Her hair was deep red and covered any features not buried in Mihawk's neck.

"Uh… Mihawk… That's a kid. Did you know you were holding a kid? 'Cause you're holding a kid." All Shanks got for that was a deadpanned stare.

Hawk-eyes craned his neck to look at the relative area the kid's face was in before muttering something. The hair in his neck brightened in color and began to shake. "Kai." The hair got even brighter before shaking more violently. "Kai, let go. Now."

"Don't wanna! My onii-chan! Not letting go!"

"Kai!"

The Red-haired pirates stared at the little red limpet.

"What's going on, Hawk-Eyes?" Practically everyone was confused.

"I need someone to take care of Kai while I go to the Shichibukai meeting." "NO!" "Kai, I've already told you-" "NO! THEY STINKY! SMELL LIKE BAD DRINK!"

Utter silence.

"This is because they smell bad?"

The hair nodded. "You smell good, onii-chan. They stinky. It's weird. I don't like it."

Mihawk turned an even fiercer glare on the drunkards.

"Go clean up, Shanks."

*\\_/*\\_/*

"Soooo… when did you get a kid?"

The Pirates of the Red Force had all washed off. Some thrown in the ocean, and some in actual bathing areas on the ship. Their own fault for not waking up when told.

"He's my little brother now."

"That still doesn't explain how or when, Hawk-eyes."

"...Last year…"

"You've had a kid for a YEAR?! And you didn't TELL ME?!"

"...Why should I have told you?"

"I'm your friend, Hawk-eyes!"

"Onii-chan says you'we acquaintance!" a little voice piped up.

"...Wait, what?"

"Onii-chan says acquaintance not friend, but someone you can trust anyway!"

"What?"

Mihawk swept the child into an embrace, subsequently burying his mouth in his neck so the kid couldn't speak, and forced a piece of paper into Benn Beckman's hands.

"This is a list. Follow the directions and make sure you don't lose Kai anywhere or let him get hurt. He doesn't like alcohol or the smell of it, so don't drink anywhere near him. In the morning, someone will have to help him with his hair. He has a sensitive head, so you better be careful. Don't be surprised if he changes gender on you, he does that. I packed a few dresses and other clothes, let him wear what he wants. And _don't lose him!_ "

He handed the kid over to Yassop, ruffled Kai's hair, moved over to Hitsugibune and tossed a bag over to the deck of the Red Force before leaving in a whirl of wind.

Everyone in the crew either stared after Mihawk or at Kai.

Kai stared back.

"...Shit…"

 _ **To be continued...**_

*\\_/*\\_/*

 **Sorry, not sorry. It was necessary. I** _ **needed**_ **it.**

Translations:

Japanese:

Shiriai - Acquaintance

Hitsugibune - Mihawk's ship

French:

J'aime le grand frère! J-je ne veux pas rester avec non-ami! - I love my big brother! I not want to stay with not-friend!


	6. Mihawk Learns

**This is the last I have written. This is it for a while.**

It was a few weeks ago that Mihawk realized that he need to learn the fine art of…

Hair styling.

Kai's waist-length hair wasn't anymore, and it wasn't because it had been cut. The locks were so tangled and matted it looked rather like a rug hanging from Kai's head, not hair. The child himself couldn't reach it all with the brush, and Mihawk didn't think he could trust anyone else to do it. He cut his own hair, and Kai refused to let him cut it.

 _Great._

He is twenty-eight years old, and male! Why the heck does he have to learn to do _hair_ of all things? He is a strong young man, a master of swordsmanship-

Who has a crying little brother.

 _That's not good._

The hair brush had gotten stuck in the mess that was Kai's hair. Mihawk gently worked it out. It took a while.

 _This isn't working._

*\\_/*\\_/*

"Hello, and welcome to Bernette's Barber Shop! We serve anyone, from pirates to Marines! All we ask is that you don't start any fights in the shop! How can I help you?" the overly perky man asked.

An obviously stressed man held out a crying child. The poor thing's hair was covered in mats and tangles, and there were even comb teeth stuck in there. "Teach me how to take care of this! I don't care how much it costs, I can't deal with her being upset anymore! She won't let me cut it, and it's starting to hurt her!"

"Oh my gosh! That's horrible! Here, my name's Stevie, and I will definitely help you learn how to take care of her hair! Bring her this way! What's her name?"

"Her name is Kai." The pirate looked very relieved. "It was very sudden, I don't know what I'm doing with her."

"Don't worry! You'll be a pro in no time! Here are the washing stations. Just set her in that chair and lift her hair into the basin. See? She's calming down- what the-?!"

*\\_/*\\_/*

"Well now, that was interesting." Stevie muttered as the pirate left with the, now much happier, little girl.

As the, rather intimidating when not upset, man had gotten the girl settled, her hair had changed abruptly from a blue-gray color to a dark green and she stopped crying. It was then that the hairdresser had recognized the pirate as the Shichibukai Dracule Mihawk, and the little girl had his eyes.

Mihawk was a man known for never showing his emotions, so it was probably the fact that his whole body showcased his relief that had thrown Stevie off.

"Oh, thank god, she's stopped. She's been crying for three days now." That would explain it, yes.

"Well that's a good thing, yes? Now, first you rub conditioner through the hair like-" He was cut off by a hand appearing over his, and the conditioner plopping into the pirates hand instead of his own. Stevie was startled and jerked his head up.

That… was a very scary glare.

"Just tell me what to do."

"O-oh, y-yes, that will be enough conditioner then! Gently massage it through her hair, try not to miss anything. It's best if you cover your hands with the… yes, like that. Um, use your fingers to comb through the tangles, start at the ends. Just tease the knots out."

During his instructions the girl's hair changed to yellow and she fell asleep. It took about 45 minutes before all the mats were gone and Mihawk was able to rinse the soap out.

"Here, dry her hair as much as possible with this, it will still be damp, but that's a good thing! It will be easier to comb and style…" As he talked, Stevie noticed that the pirate was very gentle with the child; she didn't even wake up. It wasn't quite what came up when he thought of the Shichibukai. He'd thought that if any of them had kids, they wouldn't be very good parents; or at least they'd be pretty rough. This was proving quite untrue.

"Now follow me and I'll teach you how to style it. You might want to wake her up, she's going to need to sit in this chair. I can teach you how to braid it, and to also…"

He was shot another evil glare before the pirate quietly woke his child. When the sleepy toddler was sitting up, Stevie guided Mihawk through the steps.

*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*

It had been a nice day on Kuraigana (meaning it didn't rain). And now Mihawk was suffering for it.

He had taken Kai out to the castle grounds to get some fresh(er) air.

And he found a mud puddle.

Not knowing what mud was, or how many diseases could be in it, Kai went wild. Head-to-toe, covered in mud, he was a walking mud ball. Mihawk didn't notice in time and ended up with slime down his shirt.

"Ugh. Kai why do you do this? Crazy brat. You better not have swallowed any." Said brat just gave a happy grin, and what hair could be seen under caked on mud was gold.

"Anata o aishitemasu!"

Mihawk stilled. _I didn't teach him that. Did he really just say that?_

"Ore wa anata o aishite iru ani!"

 _He did…_ Ignoring the mud, he brought Kai to his chest and hugged him as tightly as he could without causing pain.

"Ore mo anata o aishitemasu."

*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*

Kai was tucked into bed, muddy brown hair pulled away from his fever-flushed face. A halfway melted ice pack covered his forehead and a worried (though you wouldn't be able to tell) Mihawk hovered at his side.

"There has to be someone nearby, I'm no doctor… Wasn't there a report that Whitebeard was in the area? He has nurses…" He took the idea and ran with it. Soon Hitsugibune was in sight of the Whitebeard fleet.

Hitsugibune is a very recognizable ship, so the only precautions he took was exchanging his black flag for one with a message.

*\\_/*\\_/*

"Hey, Pops! Mihawk's ship is in sight! He's got a white flag up though!"

Those in earshot stopped incredulously.

"Mihawk?"

"With a white flag?"

"Are you sure?"

"Gurarara!" 'Pops' laughed.

The old man known as Whitebeard glanced up at his son and asked "Is there anything else on the flag? Gurararara! He probably just wants something! Look again!"

The watchman took another look through the telescope and stared. "It's got a red cross on it and a question mark? What does that mean?"

"It means he needs a doctor for something! Wave a flag, let him close! I'm curious now! Gurarara!"

*\\_/*\\_/*

Hitsugibune pulled up beside the main ship of the fleet. The ones who volunteered to pull him up saw that he was uninjured. Weapons came out quickly.

"Stop."

Mihawk pulled the bundle he was holding closer to his chest as it whimpered under the killing intent. "I need a doctor."

The heavy atmosphere let up as a nurse pushed past everyone without a care about the very sharp weapons surrounding her.

"Give it here! What's wrong with it, how long has it been like that, give me the child!"

"What?!"

*\\_/*\\_/*

"He'll be just fine Hawk-eyes. He only has the flu, whatever you were doing helped quite a bit. It's almost over already."

The man pulled his hat over his face to hide his sigh of relief. It didn't help; the hat didn't hide his shoulders.

"So Hawk-eyes, when did you procreate?" Mihawk stiffened again at Whitebeard's question.

"I didn't."

"You were awfully worried about a stray brat then, gurarara!"

"Just because I'm not his father doesn't mean he's not my kid."

"Oh? You adopt?"

A glare was sent in the direction of the question. "He's my brother."

"Hah! Not much of a brother! How come you're calling a girl your brother?"

Everyone turned to the angry nurse that had spoken.

"It changes sometimes."

Back to Mihawk.

"And what does that mean? You're forcing a girl to be a male? Did you not want a sister?!"

"That's not it."

"So what is it?! Because that's disgusting if you-"

There was a slam as the med-bay door was forced open. "Kanya! I thought you said the child was a girl! That was not a girl that I just bathed!"

The nurse whirled around to gape at her friend.

"That's what I meant. Their gender changes quite often." Mihawk was stoic as he walked past the nurse who had accused him, moving to the med-bay and pulling a small dress out of a bag that had previously gone unnoticed.

He walked back out with a sleeping child. He still had brown hair, and was wearing the dress Mihawk had brandished. It was more of a nightgown now that it was being worn.

"Thank you for lending me your nurses. I am grateful."

He smoothed down the damp brown hair and left after changing the sail of Hitsugibune.

"That was very odd."

"Pops? Are you okay?"

"Gurararara! Never better! GURARARARARA!"

*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*

 _ ***Kai's POV***_

"Mi-onii?"

Big brother Mihawk is sleeping. I wonder what's in the big bottle that he was drinking? He seemed to like it…

I toddle over. I can't wait to be big like Big Brother Mihawk! He's so graceful, and he can always catch me when I fall, even when he's across the room! Hopefully he'll teach me! He's just so fast!

The bottle is sitting on the floor. I pick it up and sniff it.

EWWW! IT SMELLS GROSS! Maybe it tastes better? I know some foods do…

NOPE!

This, whatever it is (sake? Sake, yeah, that's what Mi-onii called it) is absolutely nasty! And it burns my throat!

This can't be good for Mi-onii! He shouldn't drink it! It's gross, it smells bad… and now that I think about it, big brother Mihawk looked sick when he drank it! His cheeks turned red, weren't mine red when I had the flu?

I'm going to find all the gross bottles and pour them down the sink! They're not good!

With red coloring my vision, I find every bottle filled with the nasty liquids (There's more than one type? Why?) and dump their contents down the drain.

*\\_/*\\_/*

 _ ***Back to normal***_

Mihawk grumbled as he returned to consciousness. It had definitely been awhile since he had drank that much. Taking care of a kid was hard work, he'd had to wait until Kai was asleep to drink any alcohol; he didn't want to teach his little brother any bad habits. He reached for the sake bottle…

It was gone.

That woke the swordsman quicker than anything.

Mihawk shot up and searched frantically for the bottle that he _knew_ was there when he fell asleep.

Still not there.

Oh no.

Then the very distinct sound of an emptying bottle reached his ears. He knew it by heart since he chugs the stash regularly.

It was coming from the kitchen.

"Kai!" He blurred in that direction, almost hitting a few walls in his haste. _Shouldn't have had that much_. Then he stopped.

The floor was _covered_ in bottles. There were some he'd hidden in high places, and ones he _knew_ were in his room before scattered around the room, completely empty.

Kai was standing on a chair, holding his nose, as he poured an expensive wine into the sink. As Mihawk stared, the bottle was shaken to get every last drop out and another was grabbed as it fell to the ground.

There were only four left.

"KAI!"

The man snatched the wine out of Kai's hand and tucked it under his arm while Kai went into the other. "What are you doing!?"

"Mi-onii!" The child startled, "You was asleep!"

"That doesn't answer my question. What were you doing with this?" he shook the wine bottle in front of Kai's face, keeping it out of reach when the little face twisted in anger.

"That's bad drink! It's gross, smells bad and makes Mi-onii sick! No bad drink!"

"...What?"

"Is a bad drink! Makes Onii-chan sick! Go bye-bye! Down the sink!"

Mihawk tried to stay angry. That alcohol had cost so many beri! But… "You called me onii-chan."

Kai was confused. "Isn't Mi-onii Kai's onii-chan? Mi-oni is Kai's frère, and is older than Kai! So he's Onii-chan! Right?"

Mihawk stayed frozen before melting.

Kai became even more confused when the Hawk-eyed man he called family gently set the bad bottle on the counter and pulled him up higher into the warmest, tightest hug he had could remember receiving. _Mi-onii isn't mad anymore…_ He returned the hug, throwing his arms around his Mi-onii's neck.

Mihawk buried his nose in soft, strawberry-smelling hair as it darkened into a deep red, relishing in the sensation of tiny arms wrapped around the only part of his body that would fit into them besides his legs.

"Onii-chan is just fine."

*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*\\_/*

 **They're learning.**

 **Children are very resilient. I would think that a child that doesn't remember anything useful would latch on to someone who shows some care. Before anyone goes reviewing about how Kai acted before, when he was scared of Mihawk, just know that he has amnesia, Mihawk probably looks terrifying to small children, and kids are reliant on emotions and body language to tell them about people. I remember that as a kid I always gravitated towards kind people who would be able to put up with me.**


End file.
